PEOPLE

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Dr. Kane, the director of the Close Relationships and Health lab, is an assistant professor in Psychological Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas. She received her BA in Psychology from Rhodes College and her PhD in Social Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Following graduate school, Dr. Kane was an NIMH postdoctoral fellow in Health Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Before coming to UT Dallas, she was a research scientist in the psychology department at Wayne State University in Michigan. See Dr. Kane’s bio on the BBS website.

Doctoral Students

Megan Adelson

Megan Adelson is a third-year student in the Psychological Sciences doctoral program. Megan received a BA in Psychology from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in the Spring of 2011. She received an MA in Clinical Psychology from The University of Dayton in 2015. Her research interests are focused on intimate relationship functioning, including the impact of communication patterns such as self-disclosure practices on relationship longevity and individual and relational well-being.

Samantha Helfers

Samantha Helfers is a second-year student in the Psychological Sciences doctoral program. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Texas at Tyler with a BA in Psychology in the spring of 2016. Samantha is interested in interpersonal relationship functioning in terms of positive psychology (i.e. gratitude, optimism, and flourishing).

Katie White

Katie White is a first year, doctoral student in the Psychological Sciences program. She graduated Summa Cum Laude in the spring of 2017 from Creighton University with a BA in Psychology. Katie’s research interests include identity construction in romantic relationships, conflict resolution, attachment styles, and the impact of relationships on public health.

Master’s Students

Kayoung Kim

Kayoung Kim is a second-year student in the Psychological Sciences MS program. She graduated from UT Dallas with a BS in Psychology in the Spring of 2016. Kayoung’s research interests focus on the impact of social support processes on stress management and coping.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Bilal Ahsan

Bilal Ahsan is a senior at UT Dallas. He joined the lab in Fall 2017. He is majoring in Biology. After graduation, Bilal would like to complete a Masters’ in Medical Sciences and then go on to medical school. He would like to pursue a career in Interventional Cardiology.

Seema Brimmer

Seema Brimmer is a sophomore at UTD. She joined the lab in Summer of 2017. She is double majoring in biology and healthcare management. Seema hopes to graduate on to medical school and pursue a career in sports medicine.

Luis Castro

Luis Castro is a senior at UTD. He joined the lab in Summer 2016. He is majoring in Psychology & Neuroscience. Luis would like to go to medical school after graduation with a specialization in internal medicine. He is interested in social interactions and their effects on health.

Hemy Choi

Hemy Choi is a junior at UTD. She joined the lab in Summer 2017. She is majoring in Psychology. Hemy is interested in counseling psychology.

Maribel Diaz

Maribel Diaz is a senior at UTD. She joined the lab in Fall 2016. She is majoring in Neuroscience. Maribel would like to go to medical school after graduation.

Sara Driver

Sara Driver is a Senior at UTD. She joined the lab in Summer 2017. She is majoring in Psychology.

Hannah Early

Hannah Early is a sophomore at UT Dallas. She joined the lab in Fall 2017. She is majoring in Psychology. After graduation, Hannah would like to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology.

Emily Flores

Emily Flores is a senior at UTD. She joined the lab in Summer 2017. She is majoring in Psychology and Child Learning and Development. Emily would like to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology.

Katharine Harris

Katharine Harris is a sophomore at UT Dallas. She joined the lab in Fall 2017. She is double majoring in Psychology and Child Learning and Development. Katharine would like to peruse a PhD in clinical psychology.

Adrian Jacobparayil

Adrian Jacobparayil is a senior at UT Dallas. He joined the lab in Spring 2017. He is majoring in Psychology and would like to go to Medical School after Graduation.

Aiza Kahlun

Aiza Kahlun is a sophomore at UT Dallas. She joined the lab in fall of 2017. She is majoring in Psychology. Aiza would like to go to medical school after graduation.

Mallory Kirzinger

Mallory Kirzinger is a senior at UTD. She joined the lab in Summer 2017. She is majoring in Psychology/criminology. Mallory would like to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology.

Lindsey Maeshima

Lindsey Maeshima is a 3rd Year/junior at UTD. She joined the lab in Summer 2017. She is majoring in Psychology and Child Learning and Development. After graduation, Lindsey would like to pursue a doctorate in counseling or clinical psychology. She has research interests in positive psychology.

Sarthak Mattagajasingh

Sarthak Mattagajasingh is a junior at UT Dallas. He joined the lab in Spring 2017. He is pre-medical student majoring in Molecular Biology, and would like to go to medical school after graduation.

Savannah Miller

Savannah Miller is a senior at UTD. She joined the lab in Spring 2017. She is majoring in Psychology. Savannah’s research interests include vulnerability and paranoia, how they are related, and the degree to which these variables can affect overall quality of life.

Sadaf Momin

Sadaf Momin joined the lab in the Spring of 2016. She is a senior at UT Dallas pursuing a BS in psychology. Sadaf intends to graduate and pursue a career in psychotherapy.

Asad Mustafa

Asad Mustafa is a junior at UT Dallas. He joined the lab in Fall 2017. He is a pre-med majoring in Neuroscience. Asad would like to go to medical school after graduation and become a neurosurgeon. He also has an interest in mental health awareness.

Jordan Peters

Jordan Peters is a senior at UTD. He joined the lab in Spring 2017. He is majoring in Psych/CLDP (double). After graduation, Jordan plans to go to graduate school.

Zehra Rizvi

Zehra Rizvi is a junior at UT Dallas. She joined the lab in Fall 2017. She is majoring in Biology, with the hopes of becoming a physician that will be able to make a positive impact on the lives of others in the future.

Jannatul Sakinah

Jannatul Sakinah Mohd-Fahzy is a freshman at UTD. She joined the lab in Summer 2017. She is majoring in Psychology/CLDP double major. Sakinah plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Niva Shrestha

Niva Shrestha is a sophomore at UT Dallas. She joined the lab in Spring of 2017. She is a biology major and minoring in psychology. After graduating, Niva would like to go to medical school and specialize in surgery.

Kinza Sohail

Kinza Sohail is a junior at UT Dallas. She joined the lab in Fall 2017. She is majoring in healthcare management with a pre-medical track. After graduation, she would like to go to medical school and pursue a career in pediatrics.

Mohammed Syed

Mohammad Syed is a senior at UTD. He joined the lab in Summer 2017. He is majoring in Neuroscience. He would like to go to medical school after graduation and specialize in Pediatric Neurology.

Umema Syed

Umema Syed is a Junior at UT Dallas. She joined the lab in fall 2017. She is majoring is Healthcare Studies/Psychology. She is interested in specializing in child psychiatry or pediatrics.

Courtney Tran

Courtney Tran graduated from UTD in 2017. She joined the lab in Fall 2016. She has majored in Psychology. Courtney would like to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology.

Sarah Westermann

Sarah Westermann is a junior at UT Dallas. She joined the lab in Fall 2017. She is majoring in Psychology. After graduation, Sarah plans to attend graduate school.

Stefan Oliver Yossif

Stefan Oliver Yossif is a senior at UTD. He joined the lab in Summer 2016. He is majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology. Oliver is currently working on his honors thesis. He is pre-med and a paramedic student interested in pursuing anesthesiology, public health and emergency services. He has research interests in positive psychology.

Victoria Zhang

Victoria Zhang is a senior at UTD. She joined the lab in Summer 2017. She is majoring in Criminology.